DuBois City Council Debates US Route 219 Proposition

DUBOIS – On Monday DuBois City Council was asked if they wished to have their municipality listed as a supporter of Continental One. There was division whether or not the city should.

Continental 1 is a group that is seeking to have US Route 219 converted into a limited use four lane highway. This highway would span from Toronto, Ontario Canada to Miami, Florida creating a North to South corridor.

According to the Continental 1 representative, Project Manager Meg Lauerman, New York has completed most of its track of highway over the last 25 years. Also, most of the states south of Pennsylvania already has what would serve as their potion of the corridor finished. According to Lauerman, leaves Pennsylvania where portions are being constructed at the will of individual communities as opposed to a planned highway that would bisect the state.

That is in part why Lauerman approached the City of DuBois as part of a plan to get municipalities to work together for one highway opposed to a stretch of highway sections stitched together.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t see enough info here,” said City Council Member Diane Bernardo.

Bernardo was the most vocal opposition to having Continental 1 list the City of DuBois as a supporter on their Web site. She worried about going on the record as supporting a group without having more information on hand.

Mayor John Suplizio supported having the city listed as a supporter as it would help the city be part of the decision making process. By not agreeing to support Continental 1 in supporting the highway the city may have no say in it’s possible course.

Suplizio admitted that likely none of the current council would be around if the attempts connect the north and south ends of the corridor actually became reality in the area if takes Pennsylvania the twenty-five years it took New York.

Council eventually followed a suggestion by City Solicitor Toni Cherry that the City of DuBois won’t be listed as a supporter of Continental 1, but is willing contribute to the planning process.